Multivitamin Supplement Benefits
Due to over-farming, chemical fertilizers, shipping over long distances and GMOs; our food supply is not the same as it was just a short time ago. Then of course you actually have to eat your fruits and vegetables. A recent CDC study found that 76% of adults don’t eat enough fruit and 87% don’t eat enough vegetables. Combine these factors with the daily assault on our bodies by toxic chemicals, pollution, food additives, along with our own bad habits and you have a pretty good argument to take a daily multivitamin. I always recommend a daily multi to my clients as it provides a base level of nutrition that you can build on and customize to your own personal needs. It is impossible to get any kind of meaningful nutrition from products such as “One-A-Day” or “gummies”. Most of these products are synthetically made and a waste of money, offering nothing more than a placebo effect. Most quality supplements will be a “two per day” scenario at a minimum as it is impossible to fit even just the basics into one pill. Multivitamins should be taken during or after meals as they require food, dietary fats and stomach acid for proper assimilation.
Here is a quote from the Linus Pauling Institute: “National surveys indicate that many Americans are not getting enough micronutrients from the diet, possibly increasing their risk for osteoporosis, some forms of cancer, and other chronic diseases. Marginal or subclinical micronutrient deficiencies have been linked to general fatigue, impaired immunity, and adverse effects on cognition. Nutrition education campaigns have yet to convince people to make better food choices: the reality is that most Americans eat an energy-rich, nutrient-poor diet lacking in fruit and vegetables. Consequently, micronutrient inadequacies are widespread in the US and around the world. Given the facts that dietary habits are difficult to change and that some people cannot afford nutrient-rich fruit and vegetables, a daily multivitamin/mineral supplement is a sensible public health recommendation.” While not a guarantee for disease prevention, multivitamins benefit the body by preventing micronutrient deficiencies helping to ward off chronic health conditions.
What confuses many people is the U.S. Government’s RDA or recommended Daily Allowance. Supposedly, the RDA stated by the government represents all you need of a particular nutrient in a single day. I will explain why the RDA is very misleading. First, the RDA value of a nutrient assumes a perfectly healthy body with no disease or special needs. It assumes all people are equal and does not account for one’s own biochemical individuality. The RDA of a nutrient is only enough to prevent deficiency. Any illness or disease state will increase one’s nutritional requirements. Second, you must consider nutrient availability. As an example, let’s take a look at Thiamine. The RDA for thiamine in adults 18 and over is 1.2mg for men and 1.1mg for women. Let’s say you take your multivitamin that has 1.2mg of thiamine at breakfast. Given that thiamine is water soluble, it is not stored in the body and is readily excreted, especially if you consume caffeine or drink a lot of liquids during the day. It is not inconceivable that all of the 1.2mg of thiamine you took at breakfast will have totally left your body in three to six hours. What then does your body do for the rest of the 18 hours of the day when it needs thiamine? Third, dosages of nutrients in excess of the RDA are required to ameliorate any illness or disease state. It is only with these higher dosages that the therapeutic effects can be realized. Additionally, the higher dosages help to prevent “washout” as I described above. Because the RDA is so misunderstood people often end up selecting vitamin supplements that are inadequate for their needs. They end up seeing no benefit from these supplements and conclude that “vitamins are hogwash” thereby depriving themselves of a healthier life. All of the supplements below deliver sufficient quantities of nutrients to support optimum health. Feel free to CONTACT me if you need further assistance in selecting any nutritional supplement. Be sure to consult my USAGE GUIDELINES to ensure you get the most from your nutritional supplements.
I have been asked by many as to my position on time-release vitamins. Do not fall for the time-release vitamin scam! Time-release works for medications because they are already in their usable form. Vitamins and minerals on the other hand, need to be co-enzymated or chelated by digestion in order to be used by the body. Supplements that are designed to break down in the digestive tract bypass this process, greatly decreasing their availability and efficacy. There are no time-release vitamins in nature. Many times, these time-release formulas leave the body as an undigested pill and go down the drain along with your money. As I mentioned earlier, proper use of a multivitamin is at least a twice a day affair, usually taken with breakfast and dinner. Another popular scam are vitamin “patches”. Whereas vitamins can be absorbed through the skin their effect is localized to the epidermis and dermis. You will not realize tremendous increases of nutrients in the blood using a “vitamin patch”. The delivery method is inefficient, does not work for every nutrient, and patches simply just don’t contain enough of anything to be an effective method of supplementation.
My Personal Recommendations:
Basic – This is a quality basic multi suitable for men and women under 40 in generally good health. I have also recommended this multi to my clients with sensitive stomachs as it does not have a lot of “extras” in it that could cause stomach upset. Take one with breakfast and dinner.
Basic “2 Per-Day” Multivitamin
Men’s – For men 40 and over, I like this multi as it has a few “extras” in it that address some of the issues men start to experience in later life. Added nutrients such as saw palmetto, lycopene, grape seed extract and boron offer support for the aging prostate.
Women’s – For women 40 and over, I like this multi as it has a few “extras” in it that address some of the issues women start to experience in later life. Added nutrients such as chaste berry, ashwagandha, grape seed extract and tyrosine to support metabolism and hormone balance. If you do not have a monthly cycle, then women should use the Iron Free formula.
Women’s Multivitamin – Iron Free
“All-In-One” Complete – For my clients who prefer not to have to open multiple bottles, need extra support or just like the “All-In-One” approach I like this multi. It has many extra added nutrients that support various aspects of health. This is one of the only products that has ample amounts of magnesium and Vitamin C. It also has many nutrients chosen for hormone balance, anti-aging and cancer prevention. The multi-capsule or tablet dosing allows you to divide your dosage across meals however you like.
“All-In-One” Complete Multivitamin Capsules
“All-In-One” Complete Multivitamin Tablets
Powdered Vitamins – For those who have trouble swallowing pills, have stomach issues such as low stomach acid or trouble digesting food, or have undergone gastric bypass surgery, powdered vitamins are an excellent option. Powdered vitamins can easily be mixed in juice or a protein shake. I have listed two products; both are of excellent quality and offer superior nutritional value. If you have had gastric bypass surgery, all of these products are far superior to that which you would purchase in your surgeon’s office at a fraction of the cost. When using powdered vitamins, I recommend talking half the total dose with breakfast and the other half with dinner.
Rice Base Powder – If you suffer from food allergies/sensitivities or just have a sensitive stomach this hypoallergenic rice-based formula is for you!
Super Multivitamin Powder w/Herbs – This multivitamin powder is super-charged with a broad spectrum of herbs and phytonutrients to ensure optimal health.
Super Multivitamin Powder w/Phytonutrients
For enhanced immune support you may also be interested in Vitamin C.
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